The More Things Change: Chapter Thirteen, PartII
Title: The More Things Change
Rating: T
Summary: “Hours later Callie felt her best friend slip away silently into the cold and inexorable night while they were all still trapped amidst the wilderness. She held onto him, tighter now; somewhere a slight distance away Kepner was being mauled by the sinister gifts of the wild.” In a world where Arizona wasn't in Seattle when the plane crashed. Three years & PTSD, can she get Callie back?
Author: Pasha
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to SR and ABC. I make not profit. No copyright infringement intended.
Canon Till: 7 x 07
Pairing: C/A
No, Maybe, Nope, Yeah, Damn! (II)
Chapter Thirteen, Part II
No, Maybe, Nope, Yeah, Damn! (II)
A/N: Stick with it. I won't steer you guys wrong on this.
Thoughts, sarcastic comments, Calliesque word jumbles are in 'single quotes.'
Dreams and Flashbacks (& sometimes tonal emphasis in narrative and dialogue) are in Italics.
Some spellings may differ on account of me being Indian and growing up with the Queen's English.
All mistakes on this one are mine.
Read, Review and Enjoy! I love getting your comments; the last few on Boswell have been especially interesting. So, please do write in.
Onward
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"So" - Callie faltered - "umm…thanks" - she nodded.
The silence between them was awkward and not, something about Dr. Boswell screamed the words 'familiar stranger' in the brunette's gut.
"Oh, no…no! Not at all, it was…" - Lauren smiled gently - "…it was my duty" - she shrugged her shoulders with a casual sort of confidence - "I am a doctor, you know?" - She said in a conspiratorially loud whisper.
"Right" - the brunette replied in a humorous huff - "of course."
Another silence followed. Callie worked to gather herself a little and mentally regrouped. Her nerves were shot from the almost drowning that she had no one but herself to blame for.
Lauren Boswell on the other hand was as curious as they came. She was a brilliant, fast thinking, fast talking, scalpel wielding face fixer who was at a complete loss for words right now. The woman in front of her was the kind that she hadn't met in forever.
Dr. Torres was amazing, but the woman had no clue how amazing she was. She had a tired beauty about her that shone through an illusory, almost put on calmness. She was barely holding on, that much Lauren could tell, and it was that haunting sadness in those pretty and rich eyes that shone different shades of brown in the changing light, that did her in.
Callie broke the silence yet again - "I should let you go" - she said with a tempered, but tired smile - "this was…" - she bent forwards and took this complete strangers hand in hers - "it was very kind of you. I…I don't think I've thanked you at all."
Lauren kept looking into the brunette's eyes, completely captivated and quiet as she saw a wide smile take over Callie's face.
"So" - Callie gave Dr. Boswell's hand a firm squeeze and a shake, a gesture vacillating between the professional and the intimate - "thank you" - she sighed - "if you hadn't shown up when you did…"
Lauren had tuned the woman out as she kept looking from Callie's hand gripping hers to the woman's lips moving. As alertness returned to her, she caught the fag end of the brunette's sentence - "shouldn't you?"
Lauren blinked. 'Try and look like you know what she's just said, smile, nod… do something!'
"Yes!" - She replied, noticing that the brunette looked a little disappointed, but covered it up quickly.
"Good then" - Callie shrugged as she took her hand back - "I'll leave you to it."
Lauren looked on, a tad confused, her smile slowly edging towards a frown, but she still nodded dumbly. Whatever she'd said yes to, she was locked into it now.
"Then, I'll go in…change into my sleepwear and…and you can see yourself out? Right?"
"Ummm…" - 'wait a minute, she'd agreed to leave, she didn't want to leave!' - "right" - it came out more like a question than an affirmation as she watched the other woman consciously pull at her robe. Lauren's eyes were intently following Callie as the brunette slowly got up, her every move, pronounced.
"Okay" - Callie sighed - "I'll take your leave now, then?"
"Ummm…" - Callie walked into the washroom without waiting for an answer.
Callie came out after having completed her nightly routine. She walked out with her eyes closed, she sighed softly as she ran a brush through her hair.
"Took you long enough!"
The dulcet voice of a Dr. Lauren Boswell made the brunette jump into the air in wide eyed surprised as she dropped her brush.
Lauren was sitting in the chair facing away from the washroom door and completely out of Callie's line of vision.
"What are you still doing here?" - The brunette's voice veered between incredulity and intrigue.
The question and its tone prompted Lauren to peek out from behind the chair, an impish grin fixed on her face - "I decided to stay."
Callie quirked an eyebrow at her, amused - "you just do whatever you want, don't you?" - She asked as she made her way to her bed, intending to sit and chat with her companion.
Lauren made her way out of the chair and began walking to the brunette - her movements slow, deliberate, and almost sensual; consciously inviting the other woman to look at her.
Callie stood stalk still, her surprise rooting her to the place where she stood. There was something electric about the other woman, it made her stomach lurch and her heart hammer.
"I find that" - Lauren inched forward - "doing what I want" - she took another step - "is the best way" - she whispered as she was now just and arm's length away from the brunette - "to get whatever" - she leant forward now bringing her face closer to the brunette's - "I want" - she whispered; the sweet scent of her breath hit Callie.
Lauren moved forward to seal their lips together, her arms moved quickly to embrace the beautiful woman in front of her, her eyes heavy lidded with passion - "woah!" - She felt a hollow feeling in her gut, like she was falling. And, in truth she was falling…on to the bed as Callie made quick business of stepping out of her way.
"Crap-damn!" - The blonde exhaled her surprise as she hit the bed with a puff. She turned around on her back and quickly sat up, smoothing out her top.
"Are you okay?!" - The brunette asked as she stood over Lauren with a hand clamped over her mouth, desperately trying not to laugh. She was doing a terrible job of it.
"Yeah!" - Lauren barked, sitting up in a rigid fashion, all her sexual bravado washed away - "it's just my ego that took a beating."
"Oh!" - Callie chortled, but a near poisonous look from the woman in front of her forced her to control it - "Lauren, I'm so sorry…" - she said as she congenially sat down next to the woman in question.
"No…no" - Lauren said trying to feign confident nonchalance - "it's fine really… I" -
Callie turned around to face her - "it's not you, really" - she quickly cut her off - "and maybe I did kind of give you the wrong impression…" - she paused mulling over how best to explain herself.
"Well, yeah!" - Lauren shrugged - "there was some…I don't know? I thought you wanted this? I felt like you did… am I?" -
- "I thought I wanted it too…" - Callie droned.
"Then why don't we just?" - Lauren let the question hang in the air as she ran her fingers over Callie's exposed arm.
Callie leant away from her, still in reach, but far enough to get the message across - "you just don't quit, do you?" - She asked, still friendly, but weary.
"Not when they look like you…" - Lauren replied seductively, but maintained the distance between them.
The brunette put a hand on Lauren's shoulder and gently pushed her back, putting more distance between them - "Lauren" - she sighed, a little frustrated with the woman's persistence - "I'm flattered, really" - she nodded - "I really am!"
- "But?" - Lauren sighed, as understanding dawned on her, 'this woman wasn't playing coy or hard to get' - "there's a but, isn't there?"
"Yes" - Callie smiled, almost sympathetically - "if this was another time…if things were different, I'd totally do this…" -
Lauren smiled deviously - "so then what's the problem?!"
Callie smiled again at the other woman's tenacity. She could tell that Lauren was experienced, she knew what she wanted and she went for it… a type 'A' person who played the surgeon in every part of her life - a control junkie who was free and enjoyed the company of beautiful woman. And there was nothing wrong with that if you were single. Then it hit her…so hard it took her breath away.
Calliope Torres, in the company of a beautiful, confident, sexy woman who was offering herself up with no strings or complications, did not feel single…at all. She felt like she completely and unequivocally belonged to only one other person, apart from herself.
"The problem" - Callie shook her head as the smile on her face broadened - "is that, I want to be with someone else."
Lauren nodded, comprehension coming to her in slow and small dosages - "but you aren't with them right now, so…C'mon, try it" - she breathed heavily as she smirked - "screw being in control! Who's going to know?!"
"I am." - Callie answered as she shot off of the bed - "I'll know!" - She sighed - "Look, Lauren I appreciate what you did for me… I do, and I think you'd maybe make a good friend? You remind me of somebody…But, the first thing I'm going to do when I get back to Seattle is talk to Arizona" - a goofy smile made its way to her face - "about us… Because being with you" -
- "Well, not really… we haven't…" - Lauren began.
- "Right!" - Callie laughed joyously as she cut her off, Lauren on the other hand was beginning to look more and more confused - "and we won't be! Because…" - she cupped her mouth as peals of laughter threatened to escape - "Because, I still want…" - she threw herself in a chair, now thinking aloud, having almost completely forgotten the other presence in the room - "God! I still want her!"
"Dr. Torres, are you alright?" - Lauren asked with a bewildered smile; she realised that the woman in front of her was either having an episode or an epiphany.
"Yeah!" - Callie laughed excitedly as she faced the other woman - "I'm…I'm great! I just… I want things! I can still want things! I want Arizona Robbins!" - She nodded vigorously - "and that's why we can't" - she waved her hands between them - "because sex with you will make me miss her…the sex with you will make me sad" - she said with great sincerity.
Lauren blanched at that statement, never had she ever thought she'd hear those words - "Oh-kay then" - she nervously rubbed at her thighs, eager to make an exit - "you know what? I think I will go and catch up with my friends after all" - she began making a quick exit.
"Hey, Lauren?!" - Callie's voice prompted her to look back.
"Thanks… for…you know? Everything?" - Her voice was light; Callie seemed different from the woman she'd rescued.
"Yeah" - Lauren smiled - "no problem! I'm happy to not have next with you anytime!" - She smirked over her shoulders as she walked out, closing the door behind her.
Callie turned back around and threw herself onto her bed, a smile plastered on her face as she said to no one in particular - "ditto."
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The next morning, the brunette got an eight am wake-up call with the breakfast cart serviceman knocking at the door. She boorishly opened the door not remembering having asked for cart service this early in the morning.
She looked, bleary-eyed, at the spread of scones, breakfast pastries, the French pressed coffee and the orange juice - "I didn't" - her words were suddenly punctuated with a yawn - "order this."
The living, breathing Jeeves like character in front of her spoke in a thick Brit accent, trying to hide his smile from the uncouth American - "It's taken care of ma'am" - he said as he wheeled in the cart.
Callie followed him inside, watching him unload the good-eats while she began rooting around in her purse in order to give the guy a tip. As she produced the money, Jeeves stepped back - "no ma'am. Also taken care of."
"Okay…" - the brunette dismissed him with a confused nod.
'That was weird' - she thought to herself as she picked up the card that seemed to have come with the breakfast. She began reading it aloud, as she popped a grape into her mouth, having picked it off of the top of a pastry -
"Dear Dr. Torres,
You are the first woman I've ever bought breakfast for without having…bedded, I think is a slightly more respectable way to put it? I'm leaving you my number, and if ever I'm in Seattle, I'll look you up… See what all the fuss is about?! Give me ring.
X Oxo Lauren"
Just then then the brunette's phone buzzed somewhere in the depths of her bed. She began looking for it frantically, absently clutching the note her hand; acutely aware of the fact that the call was probably from Arizona.
She found the phone and as she checked to see the caller's name, her heart beat soared to a ridiculously high rate. She threw herself into the soft, downy mattress, getting comfortable and quickly picking up the phone.
"Hey! Arizona?"
"Oh my God!" - Arizona screeched from over the phone - "I saw your presentation!"
"Yeah?!" - Callie laughed excitedly.
"Mhm… You were amazing!" - The blonde sighed - "You're always amazing!"
Callie felt herself blush - "it was okay" - she replied, trying to keep the pride out of her voice.
"Don't play humble Doctor Torres" - Arizona said in a low, husky voice - "it's unbecoming…"
"Hmmm…" - the brunette intoned, and with her hand at her side, she crumpled up the note and threw it carelessly and thoughtlessly to the floor.
"How was the rest of your night?" - Arizona asked, full of bright-eyed curiosity.
"Nothing to write home about…" - the brunette sighed, content to just be talking to her.
"That's too bad" - the blonde sounded genuinely bummed out, Callie could almost see her pouting - "so, when's your flight?"
Callie stopped to look at the clock on the wall, above the television set - "uh…in about five hours."
A short silence followed, only to be broken by the blonde - "okay…well then…I'll let you go?" -
- "No…no!" - Callie said with urgency - "talk to me awhile" - there was longing in her voice; Arizona could read it as plainly as she could a patient's chart. It brought a smile to her face.
"Sure! I love talking to you Calliope…"
"Hey?"
"Hmmm?" - Arizona asked lightly.
"Will you pick me up? From the airport, I mean?"
"Sure!" - The blonde enthused - "send me your flight details" - suddenly she remembered, her voice now sombre - "I may be working though…" -
- "That's okay" - Callie quickly cut her off - "You just let me know…if you can…because" - she paused to take a deep breath bracing herself - "I think we need to talk."
"Oh" - Arizona sounded a little shocked and vulnerable.
"It's about us, Arizona."
"Callie" - fear crept into the blonde's voice, she had no idea what to expect - "you should rest first, and then we can…" -
- "No… I've waited long enough!" - The brunette said hurriedly - "I mean" - she sighed - "what I have to say to you? It's good, it's not…it's not bad."
"Yeah?" - Arizona gave a short laugh, suddenly feeling her heart beat faster with anticipation - "it's good?"
"Yup!" - Callie laughed too, unaware of her own tears - "It is. It's about us, and it's good."
Arizona's breath caught as she felt a tight knot of anticipation form in her stomach - "that's great Callie… that's" -
- "Arizona…" - Callie said her name in a sigh, 'just like she used to.'
The blonde's voice cracked at the odd note she recognised in Callie's voice - "yes, Callie?"
"I can't wait to see you again."
It was so small, so simple, so short, but it was everything.
"Me too, Callie…me too."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A/N: All of you who suffered through the Lauren stuff; I hope this made up for it. Write in with how you thing this played out. Do you think you've seen the last of Boswell? Let me know!
Also, I fell, and so, now I'm irritated for missing a meal with the family.
It's the Indian Independence day everyone (the two odd people reading...)! So, Happy Independence Day Indian (and me)!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My Song of the Day: Yeh Mera Deewanapan Hai
As Recorded for the Film, 'The Namesake':
Sung By: Susheela Raman
Rating: T
Summary: “Hours later Callie felt her best friend slip away silently into the cold and inexorable night while they were all still trapped amidst the wilderness. She held onto him, tighter now; somewhere a slight distance away Kepner was being mauled by the sinister gifts of the wild.” In a world where Arizona wasn't in Seattle when the plane crashed. Three years & PTSD, can she get Callie back?
Author: Pasha
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to SR and ABC. I make not profit. No copyright infringement intended.
Canon Till: 7 x 07
Pairing: C/A
No, Maybe, Nope, Yeah, Damn! (II)
Chapter Thirteen, Part II
No, Maybe, Nope, Yeah, Damn! (II)
A/N: Stick with it. I won't steer you guys wrong on this.
Thoughts, sarcastic comments, Calliesque word jumbles are in 'single quotes.'
Dreams and Flashbacks (& sometimes tonal emphasis in narrative and dialogue) are in Italics.
Some spellings may differ on account of me being Indian and growing up with the Queen's English.
All mistakes on this one are mine.
Read, Review and Enjoy! I love getting your comments; the last few on Boswell have been especially interesting. So, please do write in.
Onward
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"So" - Callie faltered - "umm…thanks" - she nodded.
The silence between them was awkward and not, something about Dr. Boswell screamed the words 'familiar stranger' in the brunette's gut.
"Oh, no…no! Not at all, it was…" - Lauren smiled gently - "…it was my duty" - she shrugged her shoulders with a casual sort of confidence - "I am a doctor, you know?" - She said in a conspiratorially loud whisper.
"Right" - the brunette replied in a humorous huff - "of course."
Another silence followed. Callie worked to gather herself a little and mentally regrouped. Her nerves were shot from the almost drowning that she had no one but herself to blame for.
Lauren Boswell on the other hand was as curious as they came. She was a brilliant, fast thinking, fast talking, scalpel wielding face fixer who was at a complete loss for words right now. The woman in front of her was the kind that she hadn't met in forever.
Dr. Torres was amazing, but the woman had no clue how amazing she was. She had a tired beauty about her that shone through an illusory, almost put on calmness. She was barely holding on, that much Lauren could tell, and it was that haunting sadness in those pretty and rich eyes that shone different shades of brown in the changing light, that did her in.
Callie broke the silence yet again - "I should let you go" - she said with a tempered, but tired smile - "this was…" - she bent forwards and took this complete strangers hand in hers - "it was very kind of you. I…I don't think I've thanked you at all."
Lauren kept looking into the brunette's eyes, completely captivated and quiet as she saw a wide smile take over Callie's face.
"So" - Callie gave Dr. Boswell's hand a firm squeeze and a shake, a gesture vacillating between the professional and the intimate - "thank you" - she sighed - "if you hadn't shown up when you did…"
Lauren had tuned the woman out as she kept looking from Callie's hand gripping hers to the woman's lips moving. As alertness returned to her, she caught the fag end of the brunette's sentence - "shouldn't you?"
Lauren blinked. 'Try and look like you know what she's just said, smile, nod… do something!'
"Yes!" - She replied, noticing that the brunette looked a little disappointed, but covered it up quickly.
"Good then" - Callie shrugged as she took her hand back - "I'll leave you to it."
Lauren looked on, a tad confused, her smile slowly edging towards a frown, but she still nodded dumbly. Whatever she'd said yes to, she was locked into it now.
"Then, I'll go in…change into my sleepwear and…and you can see yourself out? Right?"
"Ummm…" - 'wait a minute, she'd agreed to leave, she didn't want to leave!' - "right" - it came out more like a question than an affirmation as she watched the other woman consciously pull at her robe. Lauren's eyes were intently following Callie as the brunette slowly got up, her every move, pronounced.
"Okay" - Callie sighed - "I'll take your leave now, then?"
"Ummm…" - Callie walked into the washroom without waiting for an answer.
Callie came out after having completed her nightly routine. She walked out with her eyes closed, she sighed softly as she ran a brush through her hair.
"Took you long enough!"
The dulcet voice of a Dr. Lauren Boswell made the brunette jump into the air in wide eyed surprised as she dropped her brush.
Lauren was sitting in the chair facing away from the washroom door and completely out of Callie's line of vision.
"What are you still doing here?" - The brunette's voice veered between incredulity and intrigue.
The question and its tone prompted Lauren to peek out from behind the chair, an impish grin fixed on her face - "I decided to stay."
Callie quirked an eyebrow at her, amused - "you just do whatever you want, don't you?" - She asked as she made her way to her bed, intending to sit and chat with her companion.
Lauren made her way out of the chair and began walking to the brunette - her movements slow, deliberate, and almost sensual; consciously inviting the other woman to look at her.
Callie stood stalk still, her surprise rooting her to the place where she stood. There was something electric about the other woman, it made her stomach lurch and her heart hammer.
"I find that" - Lauren inched forward - "doing what I want" - she took another step - "is the best way" - she whispered as she was now just and arm's length away from the brunette - "to get whatever" - she leant forward now bringing her face closer to the brunette's - "I want" - she whispered; the sweet scent of her breath hit Callie.
Lauren moved forward to seal their lips together, her arms moved quickly to embrace the beautiful woman in front of her, her eyes heavy lidded with passion - "woah!" - She felt a hollow feeling in her gut, like she was falling. And, in truth she was falling…on to the bed as Callie made quick business of stepping out of her way.
"Crap-damn!" - The blonde exhaled her surprise as she hit the bed with a puff. She turned around on her back and quickly sat up, smoothing out her top.
"Are you okay?!" - The brunette asked as she stood over Lauren with a hand clamped over her mouth, desperately trying not to laugh. She was doing a terrible job of it.
"Yeah!" - Lauren barked, sitting up in a rigid fashion, all her sexual bravado washed away - "it's just my ego that took a beating."
"Oh!" - Callie chortled, but a near poisonous look from the woman in front of her forced her to control it - "Lauren, I'm so sorry…" - she said as she congenially sat down next to the woman in question.
"No…no" - Lauren said trying to feign confident nonchalance - "it's fine really… I" -
Callie turned around to face her - "it's not you, really" - she quickly cut her off - "and maybe I did kind of give you the wrong impression…" - she paused mulling over how best to explain herself.
"Well, yeah!" - Lauren shrugged - "there was some…I don't know? I thought you wanted this? I felt like you did… am I?" -
- "I thought I wanted it too…" - Callie droned.
"Then why don't we just?" - Lauren let the question hang in the air as she ran her fingers over Callie's exposed arm.
Callie leant away from her, still in reach, but far enough to get the message across - "you just don't quit, do you?" - She asked, still friendly, but weary.
"Not when they look like you…" - Lauren replied seductively, but maintained the distance between them.
The brunette put a hand on Lauren's shoulder and gently pushed her back, putting more distance between them - "Lauren" - she sighed, a little frustrated with the woman's persistence - "I'm flattered, really" - she nodded - "I really am!"
- "But?" - Lauren sighed, as understanding dawned on her, 'this woman wasn't playing coy or hard to get' - "there's a but, isn't there?"
"Yes" - Callie smiled, almost sympathetically - "if this was another time…if things were different, I'd totally do this…" -
Lauren smiled deviously - "so then what's the problem?!"
Callie smiled again at the other woman's tenacity. She could tell that Lauren was experienced, she knew what she wanted and she went for it… a type 'A' person who played the surgeon in every part of her life - a control junkie who was free and enjoyed the company of beautiful woman. And there was nothing wrong with that if you were single. Then it hit her…so hard it took her breath away.
Calliope Torres, in the company of a beautiful, confident, sexy woman who was offering herself up with no strings or complications, did not feel single…at all. She felt like she completely and unequivocally belonged to only one other person, apart from herself.
"The problem" - Callie shook her head as the smile on her face broadened - "is that, I want to be with someone else."
Lauren nodded, comprehension coming to her in slow and small dosages - "but you aren't with them right now, so…C'mon, try it" - she breathed heavily as she smirked - "screw being in control! Who's going to know?!"
"I am." - Callie answered as she shot off of the bed - "I'll know!" - She sighed - "Look, Lauren I appreciate what you did for me… I do, and I think you'd maybe make a good friend? You remind me of somebody…But, the first thing I'm going to do when I get back to Seattle is talk to Arizona" - a goofy smile made its way to her face - "about us… Because being with you" -
- "Well, not really… we haven't…" - Lauren began.
- "Right!" - Callie laughed joyously as she cut her off, Lauren on the other hand was beginning to look more and more confused - "and we won't be! Because…" - she cupped her mouth as peals of laughter threatened to escape - "Because, I still want…" - she threw herself in a chair, now thinking aloud, having almost completely forgotten the other presence in the room - "God! I still want her!"
"Dr. Torres, are you alright?" - Lauren asked with a bewildered smile; she realised that the woman in front of her was either having an episode or an epiphany.
"Yeah!" - Callie laughed excitedly as she faced the other woman - "I'm…I'm great! I just… I want things! I can still want things! I want Arizona Robbins!" - She nodded vigorously - "and that's why we can't" - she waved her hands between them - "because sex with you will make me miss her…the sex with you will make me sad" - she said with great sincerity.
Lauren blanched at that statement, never had she ever thought she'd hear those words - "Oh-kay then" - she nervously rubbed at her thighs, eager to make an exit - "you know what? I think I will go and catch up with my friends after all" - she began making a quick exit.
"Hey, Lauren?!" - Callie's voice prompted her to look back.
"Thanks… for…you know? Everything?" - Her voice was light; Callie seemed different from the woman she'd rescued.
"Yeah" - Lauren smiled - "no problem! I'm happy to not have next with you anytime!" - She smirked over her shoulders as she walked out, closing the door behind her.
Callie turned back around and threw herself onto her bed, a smile plastered on her face as she said to no one in particular - "ditto."
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The next morning, the brunette got an eight am wake-up call with the breakfast cart serviceman knocking at the door. She boorishly opened the door not remembering having asked for cart service this early in the morning.
She looked, bleary-eyed, at the spread of scones, breakfast pastries, the French pressed coffee and the orange juice - "I didn't" - her words were suddenly punctuated with a yawn - "order this."
The living, breathing Jeeves like character in front of her spoke in a thick Brit accent, trying to hide his smile from the uncouth American - "It's taken care of ma'am" - he said as he wheeled in the cart.
Callie followed him inside, watching him unload the good-eats while she began rooting around in her purse in order to give the guy a tip. As she produced the money, Jeeves stepped back - "no ma'am. Also taken care of."
"Okay…" - the brunette dismissed him with a confused nod.
'That was weird' - she thought to herself as she picked up the card that seemed to have come with the breakfast. She began reading it aloud, as she popped a grape into her mouth, having picked it off of the top of a pastry -
"Dear Dr. Torres,
You are the first woman I've ever bought breakfast for without having…bedded, I think is a slightly more respectable way to put it? I'm leaving you my number, and if ever I'm in Seattle, I'll look you up… See what all the fuss is about?! Give me ring.
X Oxo Lauren"
Just then then the brunette's phone buzzed somewhere in the depths of her bed. She began looking for it frantically, absently clutching the note her hand; acutely aware of the fact that the call was probably from Arizona.
She found the phone and as she checked to see the caller's name, her heart beat soared to a ridiculously high rate. She threw herself into the soft, downy mattress, getting comfortable and quickly picking up the phone.
"Hey! Arizona?"
"Oh my God!" - Arizona screeched from over the phone - "I saw your presentation!"
"Yeah?!" - Callie laughed excitedly.
"Mhm… You were amazing!" - The blonde sighed - "You're always amazing!"
Callie felt herself blush - "it was okay" - she replied, trying to keep the pride out of her voice.
"Don't play humble Doctor Torres" - Arizona said in a low, husky voice - "it's unbecoming…"
"Hmmm…" - the brunette intoned, and with her hand at her side, she crumpled up the note and threw it carelessly and thoughtlessly to the floor.
"How was the rest of your night?" - Arizona asked, full of bright-eyed curiosity.
"Nothing to write home about…" - the brunette sighed, content to just be talking to her.
"That's too bad" - the blonde sounded genuinely bummed out, Callie could almost see her pouting - "so, when's your flight?"
Callie stopped to look at the clock on the wall, above the television set - "uh…in about five hours."
A short silence followed, only to be broken by the blonde - "okay…well then…I'll let you go?" -
- "No…no!" - Callie said with urgency - "talk to me awhile" - there was longing in her voice; Arizona could read it as plainly as she could a patient's chart. It brought a smile to her face.
"Sure! I love talking to you Calliope…"
"Hey?"
"Hmmm?" - Arizona asked lightly.
"Will you pick me up? From the airport, I mean?"
"Sure!" - The blonde enthused - "send me your flight details" - suddenly she remembered, her voice now sombre - "I may be working though…" -
- "That's okay" - Callie quickly cut her off - "You just let me know…if you can…because" - she paused to take a deep breath bracing herself - "I think we need to talk."
"Oh" - Arizona sounded a little shocked and vulnerable.
"It's about us, Arizona."
"Callie" - fear crept into the blonde's voice, she had no idea what to expect - "you should rest first, and then we can…" -
- "No… I've waited long enough!" - The brunette said hurriedly - "I mean" - she sighed - "what I have to say to you? It's good, it's not…it's not bad."
"Yeah?" - Arizona gave a short laugh, suddenly feeling her heart beat faster with anticipation - "it's good?"
"Yup!" - Callie laughed too, unaware of her own tears - "It is. It's about us, and it's good."
Arizona's breath caught as she felt a tight knot of anticipation form in her stomach - "that's great Callie… that's" -
- "Arizona…" - Callie said her name in a sigh, 'just like she used to.'
The blonde's voice cracked at the odd note she recognised in Callie's voice - "yes, Callie?"
"I can't wait to see you again."
It was so small, so simple, so short, but it was everything.
"Me too, Callie…me too."
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A/N: All of you who suffered through the Lauren stuff; I hope this made up for it. Write in with how you thing this played out. Do you think you've seen the last of Boswell? Let me know!
Also, I fell, and so, now I'm irritated for missing a meal with the family.
It's the Indian Independence day everyone (the two odd people reading...)! So, Happy Independence Day Indian (and me)!
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My Song of the Day: Yeh Mera Deewanapan Hai
As Recorded for the Film, 'The Namesake':
Click to viewSung By: Susheela Raman